Schieffer: Debate moderators get too much focus

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - The native Texan who will moderate Monday's third presidential debate says viewers often pay too much attention to his role.

CBS' Bob Schieffer tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (http://bit.ly/PjAjZe) that he considers moderators to be like umpires - because "you only hear criticism from the losing team."

Schieffer says debates are more about how candidates behave on stage than what they say to his questions. He says he sees former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as the clear winner of the first debate and President Barack Obama as a less decisive victor of the second.

Schieffer also moderated the final debates in 2004 and 2008.

He was born in Austin and is a former Texas newspaper and television reporter. The Texas Christian University journalism school is named after him.

You can watch the final presidential debate tonight at 8 p.m. on KXII-TV 12.1.___

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